Trauma-center Bills Might Go To Taxpayers

CENTRAL FLORIDA - The Area - In Brief

The hospital threatened to close its trauma center in February after a group of neurosurgeons threatened to resign, complaining of low pay, long hours and poor working conditions. Orange, Osceola, Lake and Sumter counties bailed out the hospital as an interim fix. Seminole refused to participate.

State legislators and ORMC convened a task force in November to come up with a permanent funding solution.

The group recommended that the five counties split $2.5 million in 2005, with contributions based on the number of licensed drivers in each county. But the Legislature also would have to contribute another $2.5 million.

Orange commissioners passed a resolution Tuesday encouraging lawmakers to adopt the plan, which would cost Orange about $1.2 million.